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“As I look back on my own experience ... [and] try to single out from the long line of students some one group which shall stand forth as intellectually the best—best in college work and best in promise of future intellectual achievement - much as I should like to do so, I cannot draw the line round my own favorite students in philosophy, nor the leaders in mathematics, nor those successful in biology; nor could I fairly award the palm to the Phi Beta Kappa [students] who have excelled in all their subjects. It seems to me that stronger than any other group, tougher in intellectual fiber, keener in intellectual interest, better equipped to battle with coming problems, are the college debaters — the [students] who, apart from their regular studies, band themselves together for intellectual controversy with each other and with their friends in other colleges.”
-Alexander Meiklejohn, President of Amherst College and later Brown University, "Student Activities in the College, The Liberal College
Our Story
Our Story
Together, the Harvard Debate Council and the JW Patterson Tournament of Champions seek to expand speech and debate opportunities for students around the world. With a shared history of excellence in speech & debate, the HDC and TOC have launched the International Speech & Debate Initiative (ISDI) with the goal of providing the tools necessary for students with a variety of backgrounds and from a variety of places to compete at the highest levels.
The Harvard Debate Council (HDC) is one of the most storied and respected academic debate programs in the world. As a student organization at Harvard College and directed by the university’s Coach of Debate, HDC blends rigorous academic values with a commitment to public discourse. Its legacy includes decades of national and international competition, curriculum development, and student leadership.
The JW Patterson Tournament of Champions (TOC), hosted by the University of Kentucky, is the gold standard for high school debate competition in the United States. Since its founding in 1972, the TOC has evolved into a symbol of academic excellence, attracting the most competitive and committed debaters from across the country—and increasingly, around the world. The TOC is recognized not only for its rigorous standards but also for its role in shaping the trajectory of debate globally.
Our Mission
Our Mission
The mission of the International Speech & Debate Initiative (ISDI) is to expand access to debate and speech education, nurture sustainable debate ecosystems throughout the world, and build a globally connected community of students, educators, and institutions committed to public discourse, advocacy, and leadership.
We aim to achieve this through:
o Training: Delivering workshops, curriculum development sessions, and instructional programming for students, educators, and administrators at all levels of experience.
o Competition: Expanding access to elite tournaments, including TOC-qualifying events and the ISDI Debate Series, while supporting the development of new international competitions aimed at increasing regional and global competition.
o Leadership: Empowering students through ambassador programs, global community meetings, and opportunities for youth leadership and collaboration.
o Outreach: Partnering with schools and organizations worldwide to launch new debate programs, develop existing programs, and cultivate long-term growth.
This initiative supports a vision where every student—regardless of geography, background, or resources—has the opportunity to learn the skills of critical thinking, argumentation, public speaking, and advocacy.
The Value of Speech and Debate
The Value of Speech and Debate
Speech and debate is a transformative activity that builds essential academic, communication, and leadership skills. It also opens doors to higher achievement, college admissions, and global engagement.
Academic Benefits
o Improved Test Scores – Studies show that students involved in speech & debate perform better on test scores and achieve higher academic success than students who do not participate (Collier, 2004). Students who participated in debate gained roughly 50 points on SAT Math and Reading tests compared to comparable non-debate students (Ko & Mezuk, 2021).
o Stronger Coursework – Participation supports success in English, History, Civics, and other analytical subjects as well as improved presentations, discussions, and writing and research.
o Deeper Literacy – Debate provides regular exposure to current events, scholarly sources, and literature provides students with an increased knowledge and familiarity with a wide variety of topics.
College Admissions
o Competitive Advantage – Debate showcases leadership, initiative, and academic engagement.
o Entry Point to College Debate – Many of the top universities in the United States such as Harvard, Georgetown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and USC have storied debate teams.
o Prestige Tournaments – Success at events like the TOC and Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament enhances applications.
Core Skills Developed
o Critical Thinking – Students analyze complex issues, evaluate evidence, and build logical arguments.
o Effective Communication Skills - Speech & debate offers students a valuable opportunity to improve their communication skills which can be valuable for coursework, extracurriculars, interviews, and life outside of school.
o Research & Writing – Participants engage in scholarly research about multiple topics, often far above their grade level.
o Public Speaking – Competing builds confidence, poise, and clarity when speaking in front of large audiences and subject matter experts.
Leadership & Life Skills
o Teamwork & Leadership – Students work together with their partners and/or teammates to support each other.
o Empathy & Expression – These skills are gained through collaboration, partnership, competition, and self-expression through speech events such as Public Address and Interpretation.
o Civic Engagement – Participation encourages advocacy, awareness, and ethical reasoning.
Global Connections
o International Events – Students will compete with and learn from peers from around the globe.
o Student Ambassadors – Ambassadors lead local teams and contribute to global initiatives.
o Lifelong Community – Participants join prestigious alumni networks that span law, policy, education, and public service.
Debate and speech events build confident, articulate, and informed students who are well prepared to overcome challenges associated with primary school, secondary school, and college as well as a post-graduate career.
Who Are we?
Who Are we?
Dr. Tripp Rebrovick
Dr. Tripp Rebrovick
Dr. Tripp Rebrovick has been the Coach of Debate at Harvard College and Director of the Harvard Debate Council since 2017. He received an A.B. from Harvard College in 2009 and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 2016. He has been teaching and coaching debate for over twenty years. As a debater, in 2005 he won a high school national championship and was the top-ranked individual speaker in the country at the Tournament of Champions. As a coach, his students have won the Rex Copeland Award, given to the college team with the best overall regular season record, and have been the champions at nearly every major college tournament. He directs the Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament, which draws over five-thousand competitors each February, and teaches at workshops around the world.
Dave Arnett
Dave Arnett
Dave Arnett is the Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky. Before arriving at Kentucky in 2010, Dave was the Director of Debate at UC Berkeley for twelve years. On 23 occasions, his teams have been ranked in the top 16 (US), including 12 top five teams, and 4 overall number one rankings. He has coached two national championship teams as well as two runners-up. Dave was selected the National Coach of the Year on two separate occasions (2009, 2015). His program hosts the prestigious JW Patterson Tournament of Champions which includes a network of over 100 qualifying events serving tens of thousands of students annually. Dave has been involved in international outreach for nearly a decade working extensively throughout Asia and Latin America promoting speech and debate.
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